Kesse’s story
Many members of the staff at Youth ALIVE! are survivors of violence. Some have been shot. Others have lost cherished loved ones to gun violence in Oakland. Kesse Taylor-Jenkins is an integral member of Youth ALIVE!’s Violence Interruption team. She has worked an Interrupter herself, and now manages the day-to-day operations of 15 interrupters who work odd hours and disperse across the city every day and night. Kesse has suffered much loss. She lost her son. She lost two brothers. She recently wrote up her story for The Oaklandside; is heartbreaking and inspiring all at once. We encourage you to read it.